Bracket for supporting oxygen bottles or the like



i g- 1946- w. c. KELLER EITAL 3 BRACKET FOR SUPPbBTING 4N OXYGEN-BOTTLE OR THE LIKE I Filed June 21, v 1944 I 2 Shetjw-Shget. 1-

Aug. w. C. KELLER ETAL 2,406,334

' Y BRACKET FOR SUPPORTING'AN OXYGEN BOTTLE oR'THE LIKE- Filed June 21, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2* Patented Aug. 27, 1946 BRACKET FOR SUPPORTING OXYGEN BOTTLES OR THE LIKE William 0. Keller and Leo F. Fuday, San Diego,

Calif., assignors to Consolidated VulteevAircraft Corporation, San Diego, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application June 21, 1944, Serial No. 541,360

- 2 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to brackets. More particularly the invention relates to that type of bracket which is adapted to be attached to a wall or panel and serves as a medium or instrumentality for releasably supporting a frequently used article.

One object of the invention is'to provide a bracket of this type which is adapted for use in an airplane or other vehicle and is primarily designed and constructed to support a container of the bottle variety such, for example as a portable bottle for supplying oxygen to one of the occupants of the airplanewhile the airplane is traveling at a high altitude where rarified atmosphere is encountered.

Another object of the invention i to provide a bracket of the last mentioned character which is in the form of a receptacle having an open mouth at the top thereof and has flexible laterally spaced side segments which are shaped conformably to the curved side portion of the oxygen bottle and are adapted when the bottle is in supported relation with the bracket to grip the bottle in such a snug ortight manner that it is not subject to vibration, and in addition cannot be accidentally displaced relatively to the bracket in connection with vertical acceleration of the airplane with which the bracket is employed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bracket of the type and character last mentioned in which the upper ends of the side segments have a coil or helical tension spring therearound and form therewith a yielding mouth which permits the oxygen bottle to be readily inserted into, and removed from, the bracket.

A further object of. the invention is to provide a bracket of the last mentioned character in which the upper ends of the flexible side segments are bent outwards, downwards and inwards to form tubular lips which extend around, and serve to hold in place, the coil or helical tension spring.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an oxygen bottle supporting bracket which is generally-of new and improved construction, effectively and efficiently fulfills its intended purpose and is characterized by the fact that it is light in Weight and may beproduced at anextremely low cost.

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages and characteristics of the present bracket Will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

Theinvention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof. I

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification or disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 i a front perspective view of a receptacle type bracket embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the bracket showing an oxygen bottle in place in th bracket; V

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the bracket; f

Figure 4 is a transverse horizontal section taken on the line. 4-4 of Figure 3 and illustrating in detail the construction and arrangement of the coil tension spring which serves in conjunction with the upper ends of said segments to form a yieldable restricted entrance mouth atthe top of the receptacle type bracket; and

Figure 5 is a transverse horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3 and showing the shape or design of the lower ends of the side segments at the point where they join the bracket bottom.

The bracket which is shown in the drawings constitutes the preferred form or embodiment of the invention. It is of the so-called receptacle type or variety, comprises abottom'part 6; an upstanding back part 1, and a plurality of upstanding laterally spaced side segments 8, and is primarily designed and adapted releasably or removably to support a portable bottle I) for supplying oxygen to one of the occupants of an airplane travelling at a'high altitude or elevation. The bottle b is of conventional or standard design and has hemispherical upper and lower ends together with a valve structure for supplying oxygen from its interior to an oxygen mask (not hown). It is contemplated that the bracket will be attached to one of the interior walls or panels of the airplane at a point immediately adjacent one of the permanent or temporary seats or station for the airplane occupants. It is further contemplated that the oxygen bottle will be inserted into the bracket and supported there- -by when the bottle user occupies the station adjacent which the bracket isdisposed. v

The bottom part 6, the back part 1 and the side segments 8 of the bracket are preferably formed of comparatively thick cotton or other fabric which is impregnated under heat and pressure withBakelite or any other suitable plastic type material having a limited degree: of flexibility.

1 oxygen bottle I).

tudinally extending strips l6. l6 are formed of felt or like material :having a 1 low "coefficient 'of'friction "and serve to permit the oxygen bottle to be slid readily intoandlout Q of the bracket. 7

ners of said side portions l2 of the .bracket back of the bottle into the bracket.

1 is preferably of greater thickness than the-strips I8 and is of such thicknessth'at it covers the heads of the attaching screws M.

The .bot-

assume a substantially horizontal position. vThe 1 hole 9 has a twofold purpose in that it prevents accumulation of foreign matter in the bottom 1 part and also permits the user of the .bracket'to insert his or her finger upwards throughsaid j bottom part in connection with'removal of *the 1 oxygen bottle from the bracket. or other soft material is glued or otherwisefixedly secured to the upper face of the bottom part 6 f and serves as a cushion for the lower end ofthe 1 Q oxygen-bottle when the bottle is in place in the bracket. is provided with a central hole which is the same in size'as, and registers with, the hole 9 in the bottom part 6 of the bracket.

A pad ll! of felt -As"shown in the drawings, the padid The back part I of the bracket extends upwards from, and is formed integrally with, the rear marginal portion of the 'bottom part --6 andconsists I of a fiat intermediate portion -H and a pair of flat side portions 12. The *sideportions of the back part are joined;to,-and extendforwards'and 1 outwards from, the side margins of the intermedi- 1 The latter portion, i, e.,' the in-J termediate portion H is adapted to fit flatly against the wall or panel to which the bracket "as a whole is attached, and hasat its upper end i a pair of sideby side apertures l3 through-which i a, pair of attaching screws l4 mayb inserted. 5 In attaching the bracket the screws in are in ate portion I I.

serted through the apertures 13 and are then driven into the wall or panel of the airplane. 1 When the screws-are in place they hold the 1 bracket in a fixed position.

The intermediate portion H of the bracket 1 back part 1 has glued or otherwise fixedly secured to the front face thereof 'a longitudinally extending strip IS. The upper ends of the side-portions 12 of the back part I have glued or otherwise fixedly secured to their inner faces longi- Such strips; l5 and Preferably the upper front -corpart I are cut away so as to facilitate-insertion The .felt strip: L5

The upstanding side segments-8 of the-bracket are spaced laterally apart and,'as best shown in Figures 4 and 5, are' arranged in an arcuate series.

1 They are preferably four in number and have the lower or root ends-thereof for-med integrally with the side andfront marginal portions of the bracket bottom part 6. A's-shown in Figure mitted to flex inwards, and outwards :without I appreciablelikelihood offracture attheirppoints of juncture with the bottom part. The sideseg- .bottle. such that when the bottle is in place in the brackthey are straight or flat and join the subjacent' marginal portions of the bracket bottom part 6. The upper ends of the side segments extend inwards and in conjunction with a coil or helical tension spring I! form a yield-able restricted entrance mouth at the top 'of the receptacle type bracket, Such mouth is of less thickness than the diameter of the central portion of the oxygen The height of the side segments 8 is et the restricted entrance mouth at the top of the bracket extends-around the central portion 1 of the upper hemispherical end of the bottle, as shown in Figure l. The spring ll is arranged inthe'formof an arc and surrounds the upper ends of the side segments 8. The ends of the spring are provided with circular loops l8 and these are detachably connected to externally disposed hooks |9 on the upper ends of the side portions I2 of the bracket back part 1. The upper extremities of the side segments 8 are bent outwards, downwards and slightly inwards in order to form outwardly disposed tubular lips 20 which surround and serve to hold in place the adjacent portions of the spring l1. When the oxygen bottle is inserted part way into the receptacle'type bracket the spring 'll permitsthe upperends of the side segments 8 of the bracket to-flex or expand outwards in order to accommodate the bottle. As soon as th bottleisshiftedzfurther downwards so'that the lower end thereof is in abutment with the bracketxbottom part ,5 fthe spring I? contracts and swings or flexes inwards the upper ends of thesidesegments 8 untilthey are in gripping relation with the central portion of the upper end of the bottle. Whent-hebottle is in place inthe receptacle type bracketgpit' is tightly and nugly gripped ;or confined by the side segments Band hence not subjectjto .vibra-: tion due to. looseness. By reason ofthe fact-that the mouth at the top of the bracketiskyiel-dable and of the restricted entrance variety thexbottle when in place'in the bracket is not sl-ikelyztoibe accidentally displaced in connection withpvertical P acceleration of the airplanewithwhich'thebracktions thereof abut against oneanother safte'rfthe 3 ments-B are outwardlybulged in a-lengthwise 1 direction. and are transversely .zcurved except. .at f their lower rendswhere; aspreviouslypointed but,

springhas urged inwards the side segment's'ia to a limited extent directly following removal-Lei the oxygen bottle b from the bracket. the result of this spring arrangement themouthihf the bracket does not contract to such altgreat extent as to preclude easy insertion-ofsthe bottle into the bracket. "As previously pointedroututhe spring serves after full or complete insertion =.of the bottle into the. bracket, so to contract ."the upper ends of the side segments Bthat theyffirmly grip the -central portion of the upperpr ihemi spherical end of the bottle andeth-usihold the-bottle in place in the bracket. Igfabricating the bracket the mamma s, the side parts! and the side segments 8 before application of the felt strips and tne -s nn are molded to the pro-per shape byway of a 'sin ably shaped die (not'shown). By utilizing a'suitable die the side egments-maybe-s'o shaped-thatthe lower ends thereof have the-"desiredstraightriess or iflatn'ess at theirpoints ol"-juncturewith the adjacent portions of the dished or downwardly bulged bottom part 6. When the molding operation is completed the back part 1, due to its cross sectional design, is substantially rigid and the side segments, due to their shape and design, are flexible inwards and outwards to a limited extent. At'the conclusion of initial shaping the upper extremities of the side segments are bent so as to form the tubular lips 29. Thereafter the felt strips I5, l6 and 21 are glued or otherwise secured in place. After mounting of the felt strips the spring I! is threaded through the tubular lips 20 and then the loops I8 at the ends thereof are mounted on the hooks upper ends of the side portions l2 of the back Part 1.

The herein described receptacle type bracket is essentially simple in design and hence may be produced at an extremely low cost. It effectively and efiiciently fulfills its intended purpose and is light in weight. Because of the arrangement and design of the side segments 8 of the bracket the oxygen bottle I) may be readily inserted into place even though it is roughly handled and is not inserted truly perpendicularly to the top of the bracket. By reason of the fact that the bracket includes the spring H the bottle is tightly held in place and when in place in the bracket may be withdrawn from the bracket by exerting but a comparatively small amount of upward pressure.

It is contemplated that the bracket will be used with like brackets in the interior of an airplane and that the brackets will be positioned adjacent the temporary and permanent positions of the crew and other occupants of the airplane and the crew and occupants will each be supplied with an oxygen bottle prior to ascension of the airplane. The bottles will be employed when the airplane reaches such a high altitude that rarified atmosphere is encountered. When the bottles are in use they will be placed in, and supported by, the brackets. When a member of the crew or an occupant of the airplane desires to go from one station to another in. the airplane he or she will withdraw his or her bottle from the bracket in which it is supported and then after reaching the other station in the airplane will insert it in the bracket that is there disposed. Because of the specific design, shape and construction of the present bracket an oxygen bottle, as hereinbefore pointed out, may be inserted into the bracket and removed from the bracket with facility.

Whereas the receptacle type bracket has been described as being primarily adapted for use in an airplane to support an oxygen bottle it is to be understood that it may be used in other locations and to support other articles. It is also to be understood that the invention is not to be restricted to the details set forth since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what we I9 at the 1. As a new article of manufacture, a bracket designed releasably to support a container having substantially hemispherical upper and lower ends and comprising an upstanding substantially rigid back part adapted to fit against and be connected to a supporting structure, a substantially rigid dished or downwardly bulged bottom part connected to, and projecting forwards from, the lower end of the back part, a plurality of laterally spaced upstanding and comparatively thin side segments formed of such comparatively stiff material that they tend to retain a predetermined shape, arranged in n arcuate series in front of the back part and so as to define with the latter and :the bottom part an open top receptacle for snugly receiving and supporting the container, bulged or curved outwards longitudinally and transversely thereof, having the lower extremities thereof substantially straight or flat and joined to the subjacent marginal portions of the bottom part and their upper extremities extending outwards, downwards and inwards to form tubular open ended lips, and adapted to flex inwards and outwards, and an elongated elastic element extending through the lips, having the ends thereof connected to the upper end of the back part, and servin to urge said side segments inwards.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a bracket designed releasably to support a container having substantially hemispherical upper and lower ends, and comprising an elongated upstanding substantially rigid back part consisting of a flat intermediate portion adapted to fit flatly against and be connected to a supporting structure and a pair of forwardly and outwardly extending flat side portions connected to the side margins of the intermediate portion, a substantially rigid horizontally disposed downwardly bulged bottom having the rear portion of the margin thereof connected to the lower ends of the intermediate and side portions of the back part, a plurality of comparatively thin laterallyspaced upstanding side segments formed of such comparatively stiff material that they tend to retain a predetermined shape, arranged in an arcuate series in front of the back part and so as to define with the latter and the bottom part an open top receptacle for snugly receiving and supporting the container, bowed outwards longitudinally and transversely thereof, having the lower extremities thereof substantially straight and joined to the subjacent portions of the margin of the bottom part and their upper extremities extending outwards, downwards and inwards to form tubular open ended lips, and adapted to flex bodily inwards and outwards, and a coil variety tension spring extending through the lips, having the ends thereof connected to the upper ends of the side portions of the bracket part, and serving yieldingly to urge said side segments inwards.

- WILLIAM C. KELLER.

LEO F. FUDAY. 

